Pokemon Sleep release date: when is app coming out, Pokémon Go Plus device - what is sleep tracking game?

Pokémon Sleep is a sleep tracking app which aims to incentivise users who may struggle to get a decent night's kip by rewarding them for a full night's rest.

To track and measure your sleep, users simply place their smartphone - with the app open and the phone unlocked - next to their pillow before going to bed, and allow the app to monitor and record their movement and sounds during the night.

Each user's app will feature a Snorlax - the large, sleeping Pokemon famed for its less than energetic lifestyle - around which more Pokemon will gather overnight, depending on the length and quality of your sleep.

The idea is that getting out of bed in the morning will become something to look forward to, as you check to see which of the collectable creatures have gathered overnight.

Your morning score will be greater and you'll notice more Pokémon surrounding Snorlax if you slept for a longer period of time. Your sleep patterns will also be categorised as either dozing, snoozing or slumbering, and in the morning, Pokémon that have similar sleeping patterns will congregate around Snorlax.

You might even come across a Pokémon dozing off in an uncommon "sleep style" that you would otherwise never get to witness, and it's your aim to fill out the app's Pokédex by luring various Pokémon species while you sleep.

You'll raise a new Snorlax in Pokémon Sleep every week, which gets bigger every day, and it's your job to make him as large as possible before bidding him farewell each Monday morning. A potentially emotionally fraught start to the week that nobody needs.

Larger Snorlaxes have a higher Sleep power, which will attract more and varied Pokémon, which you can then permanently add to your team by feeding them.

You'll need to keep track of your sleep each night in order to obtain the highest possible sleep rating, with a maximum 100 points awarded for sleeping a complete 8.5 hours. Two sleep sessions can be recorded in a 24-hour period, but they must last at least 90 minutes to count.

If you want to raise a Snorlax but feel unsettled by an app recording your every nighttime disturbance - though Pokémon Sleep doesn't share its recordings outside of the app and you can disable the feature - you can alternatively expand your Snorlax each day by checking in at different times and providing it food that offered by the other Pokémon you have attracted.

How much will Pokémon Sleep cost?

Pokémon Sleep is a free-to-play game/app, meaning you don't need to pay a single penny to use it. But you can - as is customary - use real-world money to buy in-game items to speed up the process of growing your Snorlax, and there is an in-game store stocked to the gills with supplies to help you.

The game's two virtual currencies are Diamonds - the app's premium currency which can be bought with real-world cash at prices ranging from 99p to £80.99 - and Points, earnable through your actions in-game.

The app also provides a subscription option that grants access to additional features - including a journal in which you can keep notes, and unlimited access to your sleep statistics and data, which is otherwise restricted to 30 days - and lets you spend Points to purchase pricier products.

Subscription plans are available for £7.99 per month, or £39.99 for six months.

What is the Pokémon Go Plus+ device?

The new Pokémon Go Plus+ device can enhance the sleep tracking experience, with its speaker chattering at you in Pikachu's voice when you use its sleep monitoring features and when you turn them off in the morning - you can also ask it to give you a lullaby in Pikachu's voice.

The Go Plus+ will also connect to Pokémon Go allowing you to spin stops and catch creatures by simply pushing a button, but you can also now opt to employ several Pokéball varieties - including Great and Ultra balls - a very useful enhancement from the previous Go Plus.

The device - worn around the wrist - will be launched in Europe on 21 July, with a price tag of £49.99.

When is Pokémon Sleep released?

Pokemon Sleep was made available in the UK on Tuesday 18 July, It is available for Android and iOS users.